Book Recommendation – The Last Letters of Sally and Walter

I must be getting old. I recently finished The Last Letters of Sally and Walter by Cammie McGovern. I picked this up at the library because I guess I thought that it was about two people writing letters to each other. I never really noticed the cover design and was oblivious that it is designed like a Scrabble board!

I always liked playing Scrabble, so I found the story interesting anyway. I used to play it often, but not so much anymore. Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

The Last Letters of Sally & Walter is a heartwarming story of a curmudgeon and a newcomer who strike up an unlikely friendship over cutthroat Scrabble at their retirement home, outrageously starting something new in their golden eras.

As a new resident of Golden Grove, an independent living community for active seniors, Sally wants to do everything in her power to start off on the right foot. But between navigating unspoken social rules of the community and leaving two struggling adult children back at home, fitting in becomes harder than she expected. So when she sees flyers advertising the Scrabble Club, she thinks she might as well give it a try. She quickly realizes her faux pas when she walks into the library to find just one man, Walter Kretzer, who has a reputation for being “a bit intense.”

Walter has taken his Scrabble club a pinch too seriously in the past, but when he meets Sally, with her golden-flecked eyes and sensible style, and discovers she is something of a prodigy at the game, he can’t help but feel his fate is about to change. As he draws Sally into the world of high-stakes Scrabble tournaments, his feelings for her grow and inspire him to take a hard look at his life. When the truth about Sally’s reasons for moving to Golden Grove are suddenly exposed, Walter finds himself with the gumption to make his last chapter in life the best yet.

I found this one to be a nice read. In the beginning, we don’t know much about Sally or Walter in the beginning. As their Scrabble connection brings about more play, we learn a bit more about each of them. As with anyone, each has their own baggage and as it unfolds, the story gets more and more interesting. Real life issues and scenarios play out with Scrabble games intertwined in between.

I would imagine that this book would be enjoyed more by those familiar with Scrabble, as talk of game play is a part of the storyline. However, those unfamiliar with the game can enjoy this one too.

3.5 out of 5 stars.